A Cool Breeze on the Underground Read Online Free PDF

sorry to pull you out of your classes, but your adviser understands,” Kitteredge said. “He’s a friend of the family.”
    So that’s it, Neal thought. You bought me; you own me.
    “I’m sorry, Neal, but this assignment is important … vital.”
    Neal closed the file and put it in his lap. He knew a dismissal line when he heard one. “I’ll need to talk to the Senator and Mrs. Chase as soon as possible.”
    Because the first place to start looking for a runaway, he knew, is at home.
    “This is a case for the New York Rangers,” Neal said to Graham out on the sidewalk.
    “It stinks on ice, all right. But there it is, son. You gotta pay rent.”
    They were following Levine they knew not where, and he was pacing out in front of them.
    “Just because she was in London three goddamn weeks ago doesn’t mean she’s there now. A kid with her money could be anywhere in the world. And even if she is in London, there are what, twelve, thirteen million people there with her? The odds on finding her are—”
    “Shitty. I know.”
    Levine led them into a parking garage.
    Neal kept at it. “So what’s the point?”
    “The point is … it’s your job. You do your best, you take the money, you forget about it.”
    “Cold.”
    “Hey.”
    They were walking up the ramps. What does Ed have against elevators? Graham asked himself.
    “And why do they all of a sudden want their kid back? Why now, why not three months ago when she first took off?”
    “Talk to them.”
    They were on the third level, the orange one, when Ed turned around.
    “White Porsche. Guy’s name is Rich Lombardi,” he said to Neal. “He’s Chase’s aide. He’ll brief you, take you to the Chases’.”
    Graham tried to look serious. Neal didn’t bother. “What’s all this ‘Mission Impossible’ crap, Ed?”
    “Professionalism.”
    “Right.”
    “Everything you need to know is in the file.”
    “Got Allie’s London address in it?”
    “Fuck you.”
    “I’ll need some prep time in the States.”
    “For what?”
    “For trying to find out a little about this kid. For talking to the boy who saw her. Little shit like that.”
    “Read the file. I already talked to him.”
    “So go get her then.”
    “You don’t have a lot of time on this thing.”
    “No kidding.”
    “So get going.”
    Graham put his heavy rubber arm around Neal’s neck and pulled him a few feet away. “You know Billy Connor, the alderman? You know how much he takes in under the table? Think about how much a vice president hauls in. Don’t fuck around with this one, son. See you back in the city.”
    “Take it easy, Dad.”
    Neal had taken about five steps away from them when he heard Ed’s cheerful voice.
    “Hey, Neal, try to bring this one back alive, okay?!”
    The guy in the driver’s seat of the white Porsche was reading the Providence Journal when Neal tapped on the window. He looked about thirty. Thick, wavy black hair tamed by cutting it short. Brown eyes. Pressed jeans, red sweater, and running shoes. White socks. He seemed confident and comfortable and was probably the kind of a guy who looked in the mirror and said, “Confident and comfortable.”
    The guy smiled broadly as he rolled the window down. “You’re Neal Carey, right?”
    “And if you know I’m Neal Carey, that makes you Rich Lombardi.”
    “Hey, we’re both right.”
    Neal stepped away from the door so Lombardi could get out. Lombardi shook Neal’s hand as if he could pump money out of it,
    “I have to tell you we’re really glad you’re on board, Neal.”
    Have to tell me?
    He took Neal’s shoulder bag and slung it into the backseat. “Hop in.”
    Neal hopped in. In fact, he sunk into the deep upholstery of the bucket seat. If Chase’s gofer drives a Porsche …
    “We hear you’re the best.”
    “Hey, Rich?”
    “Yeah, Neal?”
    “Want to do me a favor?”
    “Hey, you’re doing us one, right?”
    “Quit stroking me.”
    “You got it.” He started the car, took a